


I Don't Beat Anyone

by thesparrowspeaks



Series: Zadison Chronicles - B Sides [4]
Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, American Horror Story: Coven
Genre: Domestic Coven, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mallory had a rough life, Motherly Cordelia, Past Abuse, talks of spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26880922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesparrowspeaks/pseuds/thesparrowspeaks
Summary: Or, Cordelia has to rethink her discipline strategy when she learns a little more about Mallory. (TW implied child abuse)
Relationships: Mallory/Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt
Series: Zadison Chronicles - B Sides [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821076
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	I Don't Beat Anyone

The hardest part of running a girls’ school, Cordelia decided, was that most of her wards were teenagers. And teenagers were exhausting.

It was late Saturday night -actually, early Sunday morning, she thought with a sigh- and instead of being in bed the way she would prefer, Cordelia was sitting up in the parlor, drinking a cup of tea and waiting. She had conceded that some of the girls were old enough to go out on the weekends, and agreed to let it happen as long as they returned by their curfew, tonight set at midnight. 

It was now 1 in the morning, and Cordelia was stopping herself from running out into the streets to find her missing witch. She picked up her phone and checked again, but no updates. 

“Tell me again what happened, Coco.”

The young girl was sat across from Cordelia, bouncing on pins and needles as she anxiously turned between her phone and the front window. 

“We were at a party,” she explained, shrinking slightly under the Supreme’s gaze, “when the cops came to break it up. There was a lot of chaos, people running, and we got separated...I thought she was right behind me, I don’t know where she is-”

Coco was interrupted by a knock at the door. Cordelia rose to answer it, eyebrow raised when she saw it was Mallory, being escorted by a familiar officer. 

“Evenin’, Ms. Goode,” Officer Jones greeted. “I found another one of your girls. She was hiding in the bushes around the corner from a house party we were called to. I assume I can leave her in your care?”

“You’re correct, Officer,” Cordelia said, putting an arm around Mallory’s shoulder. “Can I ask why the party required police attention?”

“Just a noise complaint. No idea why kids always run, I was just gonna tell them to quiet down,” the officer shrugged. “She’s not in trouble, they didn’t do anything wrong, just wanted to bring her home before she got caught by one of the meaner officers.”

“Thank you again, Officer,” Cordelia said, before saying a polite goodbye and shutting the door. She immediately turned and wrapped Mallory in a massive hug. 

“You had me worried sick,” she scolded. “Why didn’t you call when you knew you would miss curfew?”

“I didn’t think about it,” Mallory squeaked out. “I’m sorry, I really am, I got separated and then lost and I saw cops and panicked.”

Cordelia sighed, looking back and forth between both girls. “I’m very tired,” she said finally, “and you two look like you’ve had enough excitement. Go on to bed for now, we’ll talk in my office tomorrow after breakfast, understood?” 

Both girls nodded, eyes wide, before darting upstairs as fast as they dared. Cordelia shook her head and yawned, heading to bed herself. 

* * *

  
Mallory had changed and gotten into bed, curled into a ball. Coco took a little longer with her nighttime skincare routine, but soon came out to join her, stopping when she saw Mallory’s distress. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked. 

“What’s Cordelia gonna do to me?” Mallory sniffed. “I’ve never been in trouble before.”

“Not sure,” Coco admitted. “But the worst that can happen is a spanking.”

Mallory’s eyes filled with tears as she bit her lip hard, curling up even tighter. Coco immediately climbed into bed and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. 

“Hey, it’s okay...that’s the worst, that’s all, I’m sure it won’t be like that, it’s okay...”

Mallory merely sobbed in response, and as Coco held her and attempted to soothe her she cried herself to a fitful sleep.

* * *

  
Cordelia was now sitting on the couch in her office, two wayward witches stood in front of her, Coco nervously staring at the floor and Mallory trembling. It reminded her of the last time Zoe and Madison went to a party, and for a moment Cordelia wondered if she should ban all the witches from parties altogether. Sighing, she focused on the task at hand. 

“So I have had a chance to calm down after getting some sleep,” the Supreme said, a little sharper than she meant. “Coco, you made it home before curfew, and the officer said there wasn’t anything he can think of that you’ve done wrong. Consider this a warning to reconsider how you spend your nights out. You can go.”

“Mallory didn’t do anything either-” Coco began, but Cordelia held up her hand. 

“Except miss curfew, not tell anyone where she was, and leave us to worry,” she said sharply. “Unless you would like me to rethink letting you off the hook, I suggest you leave my office.”

Coco bit her lip before giving Mallory a quick hug and leaving. The younger girl watched the door close behind her and burst into sobs, much to Cordelia’s surprise. 

“Hey, hey, what’s all this?” she asked, reaching out to take Mallory’s hands in hers. 

“Y-you’re gon-na b-beat me….r-right?” she sobbed. 

Cordelia’s eyes grew wide as she pulled the future Supreme into her lap, face up, and held her tight. “I do not beat anyone,” she said firmly, “where did you get that idea?”

“Coco s-said I might g-get a sp-spanking...”

“A spanking isn’t a beating-”

“My pa-parents used to sp-spank me,” Mallory confessed. “With a, a belt, or a cord, or a hanger...wha-whatever they could f-find...all on my b-back and l-legs...leave m-marks or bl-blood-”

“Mallory, sweetheart, no,” Cordelia said, hugging the girl to her even tighter. “Those are beatings, you’re right to call them that, but my spankings are different. How long did your parents do that?”

“My whole life,” Mallory sniffed, “but it g-got worse when I s-started showing ma-magic. They s-said they’d b-beat the d-devil out of m-m-me...”

“Oh Mallory,” Cordelia said, holding the girl tightly. She rubbed her back gently, allowing the girl to cry herself out. “Let it out...shhh, it’s alright,” she soothed. 

Mallory cried until her sobs became slow sniffles, and clung to Cordelia the entire time. Once her breath became even, she looked up at the Supreme. “What are you going to do to me?”

Cordelia kissed the top of her head gently. “My spankings are not like that. They are on your bottom, and they hurt just enough to make you think twice, but they aren’t beatings.”

Mallory tensed up at the thought and began to shake again, causing Cordelia to hold her close once more. 

“Hey, shh...I’ve got you, you’re safe, I’m not going to hurt you,” she said gently. She pursed her lips in thought as she calmed the young witch down. Once Mallory was breathing steadily, Cordelia used her index finger to gently tilt her chin up until they were making eye contact. 

“I’m not going to spank you,” Cordelia said decisively. “Not today and possibly not ever, given your history, alright?”

Mallory nodded and wiped her eyes, still trembling slightly. “What are you going to do then?”

“Well, since you broke curfew and didn’t let us know, you’re grounded from going out next weekend. Does that sound fair?”

The younger Supreme nodded, leaning against Cordelia and hugging her tightly. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. 

“I know you are. I’ll let you off easy this time, all things considered, but do not let it happen again, understand?”

“Yes ma’am,” Mallory said, muffled by her face hidden in Cordelia’s shoulder. The Supreme sighed and held the girl to her, one hand idly snaking up to play with her hair. 

“I love you, my little Supreme,” Cordelia said softly. “And no one is ever going to hurt you like that again on my watch, I promise.”

“Thank you,” Mallory mumbled through a yawn. She reached up to rub her eyes. 

“Go on to sleep, little one,” Cordelia said gently. “I know you likely didn’t sleep last night. You can stay right here, take a nap.”

Mallory nodded and nestled down onto Cordelia’s chest, and in only a few moments her breathing became even and slow. The Supreme held her close until a knock came at the door, and once she gave her blessing her wife slipped inside. 

“Sorry to interrupt,” Misty called, voice dropping to a whisper when she saw Mallory’s sleeping form. “Coco is beside herself with worryin’ in their room, and usually your spankin’ don’ take this long...”

“No spanking,” Cordelia said softly, “I’ll explain later. Tell Coco she’s fine, just napping, and I will bring her back to their room in a little while.”

“She okay?” Misty asked, sensing there was a lot her wife would need to explain later. 

“She is now,” Cordelia affirmed. “She is now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Two installments in one day? It's more likely than you think.


End file.
